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Original Message

For years, those of us who have tried to warn the American public that Big Brother monitors all Internet users were demonized, vilified and ridiculed.

Now, the mainstream media has proven us correct.

"The U.S. government -- and likely your own government, for that matter -- is either watching your online activity every minute of the day through automated methods and non-human eavesdropping techniques, or has the ability to dip in as and when it deems necessary -- sometimes with a warrant, sometimes without," ZDNet reported earlier this month. "That tin-foil hat really isn't going to help. Take it off, you look silly."

The Petraeus case

Where's the proof that the government has this capability?

You might recall a fellow by the name of (retired) Gen. David Petraeus. He's been in the news lately.

This four-star general-turned-CIA chief just resigned his post after news broke that he had engaged in an extra-marital affair with is biographer, herself a West Point graduate and former Army officer.

What led to this shocking discovery was Petraeus' use, of all things, Google's online email service, Gmail.